Type-writing machine.



J. A. RONOHBTTI. TYPE WRITING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNBfi, 1908.

1 77,941 Patented Nov. 4,1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1'.

Witnesses J. A. BONOH-ETTI. TYPE WRITING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JURBE, 1908.

' Patented N014, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

VI Z172 eases; mentor QJKKMQMQ J. A. RON'GHBTTI.

TYPE WRITING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 5, 190a.

1,Q7?,941-; Patented Nov. 4, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH ALBERT RONCHETTI, OF WOONSOCKE'I, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR, BY MESN E ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE NOISELESS TYBEWBITER COMPANY, OF MIDDLETOWN, CON- NEC'I'ICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT. I Q

. TYPE-WRITING MACHINE.

Application filed June 5 1908. Serial No. 436,752. c

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, J OSEPH A. Itoncrm'r'n, a subject of the King of Italy, residing at 'Woonsocket, in the county of Providence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Type-\Vriting Machines, of which the following is a full, ,clear,and exact description, such aswi-ll enableothers skilled in the art to which it'appertains to make and use thesame. v

This invention relates to typewriting machines ofthat class wherein the type-carriers areprovided with. one or more types and wherein the platen is normally held in position toreoeive impressions from one of said sets of types, the type carriers and the platen being relatively 'shiftable to enable the platen to receive impressions from the other set or sets of types.

One of the objects of the present invenstruction and noiseless in operation.

Another ob3ect ot the invention is toprovide improved guidlng mechanism for shift- I able platen carriages of typew-riting machines such that'the opposite ends thereof will be moved through equal distances whe the platen carriage is shifted.

--A further object of the invention is to provide an oscillatorysupportfor a vertically shiftable platen carriage of such construction that no binding can take place between the relatively movable bearing parts during the shifting operation. I

Other objects will be in part obvious and in'part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter set fortln'ang'l the scope of 'theapplication of whichwill'ljie indicated in theljfol lowing claims.

In'the :lCCOlDLMlJtX fl llg drawings, wherein shown one of thevariouspossible embody ments of my invention, Figure l'l'p l'fifielll'i,

a plan view slimying the swinging rail hpon which the platen carriage 1s supported andj the means for siipporting the formcriiithe vmachine. Fig; an aside elevatlonshowing the carriage and the oscillatory feed iackf Fig. 3 shows a portion of the mechanism 'of.

Specification of Letters Patent. 7'

tion is to provide means for guiding the s'hiftable part which will be simple in con- I Patented m. 4., 1913.

Fig. '2, the position of the parts being shown when theplaten has been shifted downward from its normal intermediate position. Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of Fig. 2, lookingfrom the right end v fvsa id figu re.

Similar reference characters refer to simi: lar partsthroughout the several views of the drawings} q a Referring now to the drawing'sfl indicates a portion of the frame of a typewriting machine and2 represents afibed adapted to support a set of printing members which, in the present instance, are constituted by straight thrust type bars, one of which is shown at 3. The type bars are provided with a plurality of printing charactersor types, in the present-instance three;in num.-'- her, and are adapted to be projected forwardly upon the supporting bed 2 against the platen'by means of actuating mechanism not herein shown.

4 represents the platen carriage, whichis constituted by side members 5 and 6, re spectively, connected by a longitudinally eX- and extends about the platen roll 8, carried upon a shaft '10 "journaled in the side members of the carriage. The platen 11, which,

in the present instance, is constituted by. a thin strip of metal and has a 'vertically disposed face for'recei'ving tl1e 't'ypesand a rear curved face-which lies in contact with the paper roll, is supported at its ends by the side members of the platen carriage; The rear portion of the platen carriage slides verticallyand longitudinally with respect to an abutment 12, which is formed, in the aresent instance b ran uJstandin 'portion D L or horn of a tie rod l3 extending transversely of the machine beneath the bed2 and is adapted tOISlldQ mjsupp'orts' pronded' underneath the" bed. I Tie-"rod 13 is also prm H sided with laterally extending portions ll iwhich ride upon slides :15 provided in the walls of. the machine. lThis .tie-rcd is: "adaptedto beancho'red-i'n the front all of the framingof 'the machine by means not shown hereiinfsb that thelentire organization, including the platen carriage,'may -be,

moved slightly forward lor bacln vaiid .j to change the disposition of the,platen-with ,L'espeetto thetac'es of the type's. The platen earring e 45, in the present in-i stance, is provided with a depending rail stantially V-shaped ball runway 17.

1.6 which is fastened thereto and which extends longitudinally thereof, said rail in its lower portion being provided with a sub; lower rail 18 is attached to the rail 20 as by means of screws 21, and extends below rail 16 and is spaced therefrom, as shown. This rail is provided with a curved. bearing face 22, the object of which will be apparent hereinafter. Rail 18 is adjustable with respect to rail 16 to take up any slack in'the supporting devices for the carriage, which are interposed between said rails and may be held in any adjusted position by means of the screws 21. Extending in opposite directions from the upper-portion of the center. tie-rod 13 are arms 23 and 24, said arms having depending portions 25, through which extend pivot screws 26 which support a rock-shaft 27, to. which is attached near either end thereofbalancing arms 28. The outer ends of these arms are attached to an oscillating rail 30,

which is interposed between rails 16 and 18 of the carriage said rail being provided with substantially V-shaped ball runways 31 in which are located balls 32. The balls 32 are interposed between one of the runways 31 of the rail and the correspondingly shaped runway of rail 16, and also between the other runway of rail 30 and the curved portion 22 of the rail 18.

Attached centrally of rail 30 and depending therefrom is a bracket 33 having a socket 324 for receiving a ball 35 which is clamped therein as by means ofa clamp plate 36, said ball being carried by a vertically disposed rod 37. The opposite end of rod 37 has a ball and socket connection 38 with the shifting mechanism, a portion of which is constituted by the swinging lever 40. A full elliptic spring 41 is interposed beneath rod 37, the tension of this spring being just sufficient to balance the Weight of the platen shifted as by means of the lever 40 to hit or depress rod 37, rail 30 will be oscillated upwardly or downwardly in accordance with the directionin which rod 37 is moved, and the platen carriage will be moved in corresponding directions with respect to the types. Inasmuch as the platen carriage is guided vertically by means of the abutment 12 of the tie-rod, a relative rocking movement will take place between rail 30 and the rails 16 6B and 18, of the-platen carriage. No binding manner.

between these parts cantake place, however,

since during the shifting operation the balls interposed between these rails 30 and 18 will ride over the curved surface 22 of rail 18, thus permitting a free oscillation of the rail 30. Thearms 28, which are fastened upon the rock-shaft 27 and connected to rail 30, will compel an equal movement of the opposite ends of the platen carriage when the same is shifted. p

In order that the rack M may remain in mesh with the feed pinion 45 of the escapement shaft 46 during the shifting movements of the carriage, said rack is mounted upon swinging arms47 which are pivotally connected as at 48 to arms 50, which extend rearwardly' and downwardly from the carriage rail 16. Raclr44 is supported adjacent the feed pinion upon a roller 51 journaled upon the pin 52 threaded into the tie-rod. During the letter-spacing movements of the carriage, rack 44 rules upon thisroller, and during-the shifting movements of the car-' riage, the swinging connection of said rack with the platen carriage allows said rack to remain in mesh with the feed pinion.

It will accordingly be seen that I have provided mechanism well adapted to attain,

among others all the ends and objects gointed out, in an exceedingly simple, yet e eient platen carriage operates not only to maintain the platen in Parallelism with the plane occupied by the ace of the type, but also insures that both ends of the platen carriage will move equal distances when the same is shifted either upward'or downward from its normal central position. The connection between the oscillatory supporting ra l and platen carriages insures against any bmdlng between the bearing portions of these parts The guiding mechanism for the when the platen carriage is shifted, and in asmuch as no lost mot1on ex1sts between these parts all chance of noise produced thereby during shifting of the platen is eliminated. As many changes could be made in the above construction and many apparently widelydifferent embodiments of this invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. I

Having described my inventlon, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a typewriting machine, the combination with the type bars, each of which is provided with a plurality of types and a shiftable platen frame'carrying the platen of an oscillating shiftablerail upon which the laten frame is mounted, and upon which t travels for letter-spacing, means engaging movement.

I L" J the central portion .of sa d ljail for sh fting the platen frame, and ajpalrof. oscillatory arnis connected with either :e'ndiof said rail for gulding sa d 2. In a typewi itingmachine,L tionwith the type bars, e twhich is provided withfa, plurality pes of a'pair o1 spaced rails connected, ;w riage,'1 one ,of which is pro curved bearing? .port' terposedj between sa I rs p interposed between said j ble rail and each offsaid first named rails, a rock-shaft anda pair of oscillatory arms connected with said rock-shaft. and also connected with saidlshiftableir 3. In atypew ingtion with the type bars, eachof whichis provided with a plurality of,. types, of a platen carriage shift-able to canry :the platen in position to receive any of said types, a pair of spaced rails gconnected vwith the platen carriage and depending therefrom, one of sa d rails being provided with a curved hearing port-ion, a-shlftahle ra l nterposed between said} first-mentioned .rails and provided with ball runways,hallslocated in the runways of :said shitltahle nail and interposed between thesame andathe rails of said platen carriage, iiock-sh'aftand an oscilla-' tory arm mounted npdnseither end of said rock-shaft: and positivelyaconnected to said shiftable rail whereby-an equal movementcompelled when the same is shifted.

l. In a typewritingmachine, the combination with the type bars, each of which is provided with a plurality oftypes,-and a platen carriage shitt-ible in: a-v direction transverse to itslengthtor (lll'EBI'QIllilCtLSG printing, of a pair of spaced rails-depending from the platen carriage: 'and..extending longitudinally thereof; a. shi fta ble rail interposed between said firstnamedrails, balls interposed between said shiftable: rail and the rails upon said platen carriage,apair of oscillatory arms, each of whichis-mountcd' upon a of either end of the platens-carriage will be rock-shaft :and positively connected with said shiftableirailandadapted to compel an equal movement of eithenzend of the platen carriage when thewsame is.- shifted.

5. Ina typewriting machine, the combination with the type bars, each of which is provided with a pluralityof 'types, and a platen carriage shiftablein a direction transverseto its length forsdilferent case printing, said. plate-n carriage being provided with a pair of spaced rails whichextendlongitudinally thereof, one of said rails being, provided with a V-shaped ballrunjway and the other with acurvedbearing portion, a shiftable rail lnterposedbetweenthe rails of said platen carriage'and havingoppositely disoosed ball runways, balls located in the runplate'rl frame in its shifting the combinae unison.

the platen carl v dedrwith a. shiftable rail in t-fnalned rails, balls iachine, the combina ways of said shiftable rail and interposed hehyeenthe same and the rails of said platen carriage, a pair of oscillatory arms connected witlisaid shiftable rail, and a. common pivotally 'mounted support .for .said arms whereby the latter are compelled to move in ge shift-able yert ically. to enable the v rail, a rock-shaft upon which said oscillatory arms are mounted, and means vlocated cen-- trally of the platen carriage for shifting the same.

7. In a typewriting machine, the combination with the. type bars, each of which carries a plurality of types and a platen car riage shiftable for different case printing,

of a; pair of' spaced rails'supported upon the platencarriage, said rails being relatively adjustable to change the distance separating them, a substantially V-shaped ball runway in one of said rails, and a bearing surface provided upon the other said runway, a shiftable rail interposed between said first-named rails and upon which the latter travel during the letter-feeding movements of the carriage, said shiftable rail being provided with oppositely disposed substantially V-shaped ball runways, balls 'located in said runways and engaging the runway and bearing surface provided in the rails fixed upon the platen carriage, a rock-shaft, and an arm mounted-upon either end of said rock-shaft and said shiftable rail I 8. In a 'typewritlng machine, the combination with the type bars, each of which is provided with a plurality of types, a platen carriage shiftableyto change the disposition of the platen:withrespect to said types, said platen carriage being p'rovide'd'in its lower portion with a plurality of spaced rails, the lower of which is adjustably securedto the rail located above provided with a curved :the uppermost of said rails having -a sub stantially V-shaped call runway, a shiftable rail interposed between said first-mentioned runways, ballsinterposed oetween the runways of said shiftable rail and the run way in the uppermost of the rails of'said platen carriage and the curved bearing surface of the lowermost of said latter rails, a

connected with 1 the same and is bearing surface,

"rails and having" oppositely disposed 15211112 rock-shaft, an arm mounted upon either end of said rock-shaft and connected with said shiftable rail, and means connected with the central portion of said shiftable rail adaptcd to shift the same to carrythe'platen carriage to a different shifted position,

9. In a typ'ewriting machine, the combination of the type bars, each of which is provided with a plurality of types and a platen carriage vertically shiftablc to change the disposition of the platen with respect to the types, the center tie rod with which the platen carriage engages and which holds the same against recession when the platen is engaged by the types, a pair of spaced rails depending from the platen carriage, means whereby one of said rails may be adjusted with respect to the other to change the spacing of said rails, a shiftable rail interposed between saidrails, said shiftable rail being provided with longitudinally ex tending substantially ll-shaped ball runways, a similarly formed ball runway provided in one of said first-mentioned rails and located in adjacency with one of the runways of said shiftabl rail, a curved bearing surface formed upon the other of said firstmentioned rails and located in aljacency with another of the runways of-said shiftable rail, balls located in the runways of said shiftable rail and interposed be tween the latter and the bearing portions of said first-mentioned rails, a rock-shaft, a' support for said rock-shaft supported in said center tie rod, and an arm'mounted on either end of said rock shaft and connected with said shiftable rail. y

10. In a typewriting machine, the combination with the type bars, each of which is provided with a plurality of types, and a platen carriage shiftable in a direction transverse to its length for different case .tion.

printing, of an oscillatory arm connected with either end of the platen carriage for compelling equal movements of both ends thereof when the same is shifted, and means for shifting the platen carriage connected with the same at its central portion intermediate said oscillatory arms:

11. In a typewritingmachine, in combination, type bars, each of which is provided with a plurality of types, a platen carriage shiftable with respect to said type, means for guiding the platen in its shifting movement, a pair of spaced rails carried by the platen carriage, a shift rail interposed therebetween, anti-friction bearings coacting with said shift rail and said first-mentioned rails adapted to permit said shift rail to turn with respect to said first-mentioned rails, and a pair of swinging arms conneeted with said shift rail adapted to aid in guiding the carriage to a shifted posi- 12. In a typewriting machine, the com inew,

nation with the type bar's, each which is provided with a plurality types, of a platen carriage shiftable vertically tii ilflllg'k) the disposition of the platen with respect to said types. a pair of spaced ball rails ca":- ried by the platen carriage, a swinging ball rail interposed between said first-named rails, balls interposed between said rails, arms connected with said swinging hail rail, a common oscillatory support upon which said arms are mounted, and means connected to said swinging rail adapted to swing the same to shift the platen carr age.

13. Ina typewriting machine, in combination, a type carrier having a plurality of types thereon, a shiftable platen carriage adapted to move to ashifted position fol printing different case characters, shift rail along which said carriage is adapted 10 travel, and a eoacting rail on the piatin earriage, said shift rail being pivotally supportedto permit a turning movem ant thereof with respect to the carriage rail as the platen carriage moves to shifted position.

14. In a typewriting machine, the cinibination with a vertically-shiftable platen carriage, of-an escapement shaft, a feed p n-- ion mounted upon said escapeinent Slslft, rack meshing with said fced pinion, arms swiveled upon the platen carriage and supporting said feed rack, said arms being adaptedcto swing when said platen carriage is shifted whereby said feed rack may re main constantly in mesh with said feed pinion, and a roller mounted adjacent said lat surface of said feed pinior upon which the feed rack rides during the longitudinal movements of the carriage.

15. In a typewritiag machine, the combination with the platen carriage, which is shiftable vertically for different case print ing and movable longitudinally for letterspacing, of a rail upon which the platen carriage is mounted and upon which it rides for letter-spacing, an escapement shaft, a feed pinion mounted upon said shaft, a'feed rack meshing with said feed pinion, arms mounted to swing upon said platen carriage and connected with said feed rack whereby said feed rack may remain const-xinfiy in mesh with said feed pinion when the platen carriage is shifted, and a roller upon which a flat surface of said feed rack traveis uring the letter-spacing movemems of the carriage.

16. In a typewriting machine, the combination with the shiftable platen carriage, of an oscillating rail upon which the platen carriage is mounted and upon which the riage to different printing positions, an escapement shaft, a feed pinion mounted upon.

saidshaft and an-oscillatory rack mounted upon the platen carriage which remains con- 7 stantly in mesh with the said feed pinion nation with the type bars, each of which tion, a rail upon which said frame travels with upper and lower ubearings are interposed 'theframe, and means for shifting said ra1l.

is provided with a plurality of types, of a platen carriage vertically shiftable to cbangethe disposition of; the platen in respect of said types, aicenter tie rod having. a portion for engaging w th. the platen carriageand for guiding the same when sl11fted, a pair of spaced railsmounted upon the platen carriage, means whereby said 'rails may be relatively adjusted, an oscillating rail interposed between said first-mentioned rails,said rails having ball-bearing portions, balls interposed between said oscillating rail and said hrstmentioned rails, a rock-shaft journaled in suitable supports provided in the center tie rod, arms extending from said rock-shaft and connected with said oscillating rail, means for shifting the platen carriage connected with said oscillating rail, an escapement shaft, a feed' pinion mounted upon said shaft, a rack meshi ng with said feed pinion in all positions of the.

carriage, arms swiveled upon the platen carriage and interposed in the support ofsaid rack, and 'a roller 'journa'led'upon said tie rod upon which said rack travels during the letter-spacingvor return movements of the carriage.

18. In a typewriting machine, the combination with the type bars, of a platen frame shiftable from a normal intermediate position, shifting mechanism for said platen frame, a rail upon which said frame travelsv for letter spacing, and a pair of oscillatory arms one connected with either end of said rail.

19. In a typewriting machine, the combination with the type bars, of a platen frame shiftable from a normal intermediate posifor letter spacing, said rail being provided rooves in which ballbetween the rail and 20. In a typewriting machine, the combil' nation with the tyr bars of a platen frame shiftable from a normal intermediate position,- a rail upon which said frame travels for letter spacing, said rail being provided with upper and lower groovesin which ballbearings are interposed between the rail and the frame, and a pair of oscillatory arms one connected with either end of said rail.

21. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a paper carrier adapted to shift in a straight'line, a pivotally mounted shift rail along which said paper carrier is adapted to travel, and means interposed between said shift rail and said carrier whereby the carrier may move in a straight line as the shift rail oscillates.

22. In a typewrit-ing machine, in combina;

said shift rail being at: right angles to its longitudinal axis, a

pivotally mounted rail along which said carriage is adapted to travel, means for shift-m said rail and carriage carried thereby, an means interposed between the carriage and the'rall whereby the carriage may move in'a vertical line as the shift rail oscillates.

23. In a typewriting machine,in combination, a platen carriage having a flat platen carried thereby, a pivotally mounted rail along which said carriage is adapted to tra 'vel, means connected with said rail for shifting the same, a carriage carried thereby movable at right angles to its longitudi-- nal axis, and ball bearings interposed between said rail and said carriage whereby the carriage may move in .a vertical line as said shift rail oscillates. I

24. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a platen carriage having a flat platen associated therewith, a pivotally mounted rail along which said carriage is adapted to "travel, shift mechanism associated with one of said parts for shifting the same for upper case printing, an escapement shaft having a feed pinlon thereon, and a pivotally mounted rack carried by one of said first mentioned parts adapted to mesh with said pinion at all times.

25. In a type-writing machine, in combination, a platen carriage having a fiat platen associated therewith, a pivotally mounted rail along which said carriage is adapted to travel, shift mechanism associated with one of said parts for shifting the same for upper case printing, an escapement shaft having a feed pinion thereon, and apivotally mounted rack carried by said carriage adapted to mesh with said feed pinion when the carriage is either in normal or shifted-position. a Y

26. In a typewriting machine, in combination, atype carrier having a plurality of types thereon, a shiftable' platen carriage adapted to move to a shifted position for printing different case characters, a shift rail along which said carriage is adapted to travel, a'coacting rail on the pivotally sup orted to permit a turning movement thereo with respect to the carriage rail as theplaten carriage moves to shifted position, and feed mechanism for said platen carriage, comprising a feed pinion, and a rack pivotally supported from said platen carriage adapted to mesh with said pinion in all positions of the carnage.

27. In a typcwriting carriage, the combination with a shiftable platen carriage, an escapement shaft, a feed pinion mounted on said escapement-shaft, a horizontally disposed rack meshing with said feed pinion. arms swiveled upon the platen carriage and suppol ting" said feed rack,,said arms being platen carriage,

adapted to move to a shifted position for printing dilferent case characters, a shift rail along which said carriage 15 adapted to travel, a coacting rail on the platen carriage,

anti-friction devices therebetween, said shift rail being pivotally supported and adapted to'permit a turning movement thereof with respect to the carriage rail as the platen carriage moves to shifted position, feed mechanism for said platen, comprising a feed pinion connected with the escapement mechanism, a horizontally disposed rack pivotally supported from said platen carriage adapted to mesh with saidpinion in all positions of the carria e, and a roller coacting with the flat side 0 said rack adapted to support the same.

29. In a typewriting machine, in combination, a platen carriage, a plvotally mounte d shift rail adapted to oscillate as the carriage moves to a shifted position, and feed mechanism for the carriage, comprising a feed pinion and a. pivot-ally mounted rack meshing therewith at all times adapted to oscillate when the said shift rail oscillates.

30. A typewriting machine, in combination, a shiftable platen carriage, a shift rail along which said platen carriage is adapted to travel positioned therebeneath, arms pivotally mounted at one side of said platen carriage adapted to support said shift rail and permit the same to oscillate as the carriage moves to a shifted position, and feed mechanism for said platen carriage including a rack pivotally supported at the opposite side of said platen carriage whereby the rat'k remains substantially stationary as the carriage moves to shifted position.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH ALBERT RONCHETTI. Witnesses Y C. H. WILSON, H. M. SEAMANS.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, I). 0. 

